Sink stopper



y 2, 1967" w. E. VAN DYKE ETAL 3,316,562

S INK STOPPER Filed May 18, 1964 w W e M m M W v L5 A 5 W m ww United States Patent 3,316,562 SINK STOPPER William E. Van Dyke, Riverside, Calif. (P.O. Box 2441,

Riviera, Ariz. 86442), and Otis Balthrope, 5646 Web]- stetter St.. Riverside, Calif. 92503 Filed May 18, 1964, Ser. No. 368,164 5 Claims. (Cl. 4-286) This invention relates to a sink stopper and has as its primary object the provision of an improved sink stopper characterized by extremely efficient sealing to prevent the escape of water from the sink, ready removability, and the absence of protruding parts which will serve to damage plates or dishes being washed in the sink.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a combination garbage strainer and sink stopper adapted to be superposed in the well of a sink, each consisting of a plate having an annular flange, the plate of the stopper being imper-forate and that of the strainer perforate, and handle members extending upwardly from each plate to a point flush with or below the level of the associated flanges, the flanges being of a height no greater than half the depth of the well, so that the stopper may seat flush in the strainer, and have its top surface lie flush with or below the bottom of the sink. A sealing ring surrounds the exterior flange of the stopper. Either the strainer or the stopper may be used independently or together with the other.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds, and shown in the accompanying drawing wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a conventional sink showing the stopper in place on one side, and an associated garbage strainer in position, with the stopper removed on the other side.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawing.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, there is generally indicated at a conventional sink of the double type including two basins 11 and 12, each of which includes a central drainage well 13 and 14, respectively, a garbage strainer generally indicated at 15 being positioned in the well 13 and the stopper of the instant invention generally indicated at 16 being positioned in the well 14. The sink is provided with the usual shiftable faucet 17 and hot and cold water control handles 18 and 19.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 2, the well 14 is disclosed as comprising a substantially conical member 20 having a depending threaded flange 21 which is secured by means of an annular collar 22 to a drainage pipe 23. The upper portion of the conical member terminates in a straight sided well portion 24, having an outwardly flared flange 25 which overlies the arcuate rim 26 of the sink bowl 12, there being provided the usual sealing gasket 27 to prevent the escape of fluid therefrom. The garbage strainer 15 comprises a flat plate 30 provided with a series of drainage openings 31 and an annular rim 32 dimensioned to fit snugly within the conical portion 24 of the Well, and rest on the abutment 33 formed by its juncture with the conical portion 20. A central handle 35 is provided and includes a flat top 36 which is substantially flush with the top of annular flange 32, and seats well within the well, so that the stopper 16 of the instant invention may readily be positioned on top of the strainer. The stopper of the instant invention comprises a flat circular plate 40 which is preferably comprised of a suitable plastic which is not reactive with detergents or the like, and which is provided with an integral annular rim 41 which is relatively thick. A semi-circular groove 42 surrounds the outer circumference of flange or annulus 41, and has seated therein an O-ring 43, preferably comprised of resilient material, and preferably of circular cross section, the external rim 44 thereof extending outwardly beyond the periphery of the flange 41.

A central handle 45 is secured to or integral with the disc 40, and includes a flat top portion 46 which is substantially flush with the top of the annulus 41, and which when the stopper is in position, seats below the level of the bottom of the sink 12, as best seen in FIGURE 1. In employing the device of the instant invention the garbage strainer 15 is first positioned as shown in FIGURE 2, and the stopper 16 inserted in the well, with the resilient O-ring 43 affording a substantially fluid tight connection with the interior wall of the cylindrical portion 24. The knob 46 being below the level of the bottom of the sink does not afford any projection against which a dish or plate may strike and be damaged, and permits substantially the use of the entire bottom of the sink as a fiat surface.

When it is desired to drain the water from the sink the knob 46 is pulled upwardly, and after the water is completely drained, the knob 31 is employed to lift the garbage strainer from the well.

Obviously, the stopper 16 may be used without the garbage strainer if desired.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved sink stopper which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment herein-before shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A stopper and drain assembly for sinks including a well adapted to be positioned centrally of a sink and a reduced diameter drainage pipe, a connecting portion between the top of said pipe and the bottom of said well defining a shoulder, a garbage strainer comprising a flat perforate plate having an annular wall of a height not greater than one-half the depth of said well and a dia eter slightly less than that of said connecting portion seating on said shoulder in said well, and a handle secured to the upper surface of said perforate plate of a height no greater than that of said flange; and a stopper member comprising an annular imperforate plate having an annular wall of a diameter substantially equal to that of said first mentioned annular wall, and of a height not greater than one-half the depth of said well, a handle secured to the upper surface of said imperforate plate of a height no greater than said last mentioned annular wall, and sealing means surrounding the exterior periphery of said last mentioned annular wall, whereby said strainer and said stopper member may be simultaneously seated in said well in superposed relation with said stopper member seating flush with the top of said annular wall of said strainer, and with the top of the annular wall of said stopper member and the handle of said stopper member flush with or below the top of said well.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein both said stopper member and said strainer are comprised of unitary plastic structure. 7

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said sealing means comprises an annular groove in the exterior periphery of the annular flange of said stopper member and an O-ring seated in said groove. 1

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein both of said handles comprise integral knobs centrally positioned in their respective plates, each having a reduced dia-rneter shank having an indented longitudinal contour and an enlarged head facilitating grasping by the fingers, the top of each head being flat and below the level of its associated annular flange.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said connecting portion is conical and said shoulder is defined by the reduction in diameter of said conical portion adjacent the bottom of said well.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,021,410 11/1935 F0086 4-287 5 2,838,769 6/1958 Lengyel 4287 FOREIGN PATENTS 553,919 6/1943 Great Britain.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner. 10 H. I. GROSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A STOPPER AND DRAIN ASSEMBLY FOR SINKS INCLUDING A WELL ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED CENTRALLY OF A SINK AND A REDUCED DIAMETER DRAINAGE PIPE, A CONNECTING PORTION BETWEEN THE TOP OF SAID PIPE AND THE BOTTOM OF SAID WELL DEFINING A SHOULDER, A GARBAGE STRAINER COMPRISING A FLAT PERFORATE PLATE HAVING AN ANNULAR WALL OF A HEIGHT NOT GREATER THAN ONE-HALF THE DEPTH OF SAID WELL AND A DIAMETER SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THAT OF SAID CONNECTING PORTION SEATING ON SAID SHOULDER IN SAID WELL, AND A HANDLE SECURED TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID PERFORATE PLATE OF A HEIGHT NO GREATER THAN THAT OF SAID FLANGE; AND A STOPPER MEMBER COMPRISING AN ANNULAR IMPERFORATE PLATE HAVING AN ANNULAR WALL OF A DIAMETER SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THAT OF SAID FIRST MENTIONED ANNULAR WALL, AND OF A HEIGHT NOT GREATER THAN ONE-HALF THE DEPTH OF SAID WELL, A HANDLE SECURED TO THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID IMPERFORATE PLATE OF A HEIGHT NO GREATER THAN SAID LAST MENTIONED ANNULAR WALL, AND SEALING MEANS SURROUNDING THE EXTERIOR PERIPHERY OF SAID LAST MENTIONED ANNULAR WALL, WHEREBY SAID STRAINER AND 